Digitalisation for AgroEcology
Published August 29, 2025 | Version v1
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POLICY BRIEF - Bridging Digital Agriculture and Agroecology: Four Priorities for a Sustainable Transition

Authors/Creators

  • 1. ROR icon Leibniz Institute for Agricultural Engineering and Bioeconomy
  • 2. ROR icon Agricultural University of Athens
  • 3. ROR icon Harper Adams University
  • 4. ROR icon Bavarian State Research Center for Agriculture
  • 5. ROR icon Danish Technological Institute
  • 6. ROR icon BOKU University
  • 7. ROR icon University of Copenhagen
  • 8. ROR icon Lúrio University
  • 9. ROR icon Natural Resources Institute Finland
  • 10. Leibniz-Institut für Agrartechnik und Bioökonomie e.V.
  • 11. ROR icon União da Floresta Mediterrânica

Description

Agroecology is increasingly recognised as a pathway towards more sustainable, resilient, and socially just agricultural systems in Europe. At the same time, digital technologies are emerging as powerful tools that can support this transition by improving efficiency, enabling knowledge exchange, and facilitating more transparent monitoring of environmental and social outcomes. Yet the integration of digitalisation into agroecology does not happen automatically: it requires strategic policy support, targeted investment, and governance frameworks that ensure equitable access and farmer sovereignty over data.

This policy brief distils key insights from the European policy roadmap developed by the D4AgEcol consortium. While the roadmap provides an in-depth strategic framework for aligning digitalisation with agroecological transitions, the present document offers a concise set of recommendations tailored for policymakers and stakeholders. Drawing on findings from stakeholder consultations and national policy workshops across Europe, it highlights opportunities for EU-level action as well as critical barriers that must be addressed, such as gaps in rural connectivity, fragmented data governance, and uneven access to digital resources. 

The fields of action outlined here emphasise the importance of outcome-oriented policy instruments, robust data frameworks, investment in rural infrastructure, and the creation of inclusive spaces for innovation and learning. Together, these measures can help ensure that digitalisation strengthens—rather than undermines—agroecological principles. By presenting these insights in a targeted and accessible format, this brief is intended to serve as a resource for decision-makers who wish to advance the digital-agroecological agenda. For a more comprehensive analysis of the evidence base and detailed methodological background, readers are referred to the full policy roadmap and to Deliverable D4.2 of the D4AgEcol project.

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Additional details

Funding

European Commission
D4AgEcol - DIGITALISATION FOR AGROECOLOGY 101060759